Several Haitians, who arrived in Guyana several weeks ago, were asked to leave the country because investigators suspect they have come for another destination, the immigration authorities said on Monday.
Winston Felix, the Minister of Immigration and Citizenship, said that already 8 adults and 6 children were sent back to Haiti last Thursday after upgrading their return tickets. He said efforts were being made to return 8 others, including some children, who have no money to pay for their plane tickets, explaining "The rationale for having them depart is based on a police investigation and the advice given by the Police Legal Adviser," while refusing to give details of the evidence "We were advised that they should be sent back, based on the investigation, and that is the rationale," stating that no anomalies had been found with their documents, but "a collection of circumstances" did that it was decided that they should be removed. Asked whether trafficking in persons was suspected, he said that "trafficking has not been fully established but it might be lurking somewhere on the horizon."
For his part the Police Commissioner Seelall Persaud said the investigation revealed that "some of the Haitians are entering Guyana for other destinations and that it’s organised." He stated that all suspected smugglers are on bail pending further investigations by the Guyana Police Force’s Special Organised Crime Unit (SOCU). Recalling "After Suriname last year introduced visas for Haitians who were transiting that country to neighbouring French Guiana https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-18549-haiti-flash-suriname-visa-mandatory-for-haitian.html , they then opted to land here and move on to their final destination."
